


Where Civil Blood Makes Civil Hands Unclean

by LyriumGhost



Series: In fair Boston, Where we lay our scene [2]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Abuse, F/M, I just though fuck it i want to write this so bad., Sister story to TWo Households Both Alike in Dignity, Suggested insest cuz Gage is an asshole, Toxic Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-10-11 17:09:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20549720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LyriumGhost/pseuds/LyriumGhost
Summary: Vic was made for his life. Survival  in a harsh land was her MO and Shoot first ask questions later her bread and butter.  These were excellent characteristics of military personnel in her day . Apparently this qualifies her for Mercenary at best now.Pro Tip. Please at least read the Prologue of Two Households Both Alike in Dignity.





	1. Brosicle

**Author's Note:**

> This is seriously the shortest chapter I have ever written. I just want to get this story going Cause i am a slut for Porter Gage.

Vic barley became conscious with a hard gasp as she fell face first out of the cryo-pod, but miraculously caught herself, sticking her arms out just before she hit. Her mind was racing in an instant

_Whats my name? Victoire Andra Durand. What Color is the sky? Blue. What Branch are you with? United States Marine Corp. What is your Rank? Lt.Col. What is your last memory? …._ She paused a moment anxiety rising she lifted her head to look around the dark room. _Vault.. Explosion.. the nukes fell!_

She sat herself back on her knees looking around. She popped up to her feet and looked toward the door then the pod next to hers. _Vince, _ she walked over to it looking in the window and seeing her bother covered in a thin layer of ice. _Sup brosicle?_ She studied the pod a moment looking for the release and found it to the right of the pod. She waited patiently after pulling the lever but nothing happened other then a disapproving sound. She looked at the lever a bit longer and followed the trail of wires to a terminal . She cracks it easily and starts digging around in it, re-coding corrupted areas as she goes until she finds the right area._Pod 7- Durand, V. Male Life support active, remote access in place. _

__“__Remote access?__” __She says out loud in confusion, and attempted to override the controls to shockingly no avail. “I have never met a code I couldn’t crack” she grumbled and moved away from the computer deciding to explore the vault deeper.

She walked out the main door they entered and found a slew of skeletons. Inspecting them she found a couple of pip-boy’s, some 10mm ammo, matching 10 m pistol and Vince’s glasses. She equipped one of the pip-boys and placed the other on a counter then headed back into the cryo-pod area, placed Vince’s glasses on the table closest to his pod and returned to the terminal, once again, to fish for another work around. When she again failed, she tired to pin point the remote access signal and downloaded it to the pip-boy

She’d have to leave the Vault to track it down. Before leaving the computer again she did a bit of data mining and let out a soft gasp.

“210 years..” she stared a moment, _shake it off soldier and get moving. _

She walked back to Vince’s pod staring at it a long while before leaning in and saying. “I have to leave you behind for now brother… but mark my words. I’ll be back…. I’ll come back for you”. With that she headed back out to the main entrance but before she opened the Vault and walked out to this new world, she turned to the door, hacked the panel closing and sealing it by way of malfunction.

“No one is going to get to you brother.” she promised leaving a hand on the door a moment longer before finally forcing herself to leave .

Besides a moment of strain on her eyes, Vic was mostly unimpressed with the new surroundings. _We planned for this. A little worse looking then expected but it was a possibility. _She thought as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight and dull colorless landscape around her. She was originally supposed to report to Vault 76. She was considered one of the best and brightest that Vault Tec wanted for Reclamation Day. But here she was. 

She looked down at her pip-boy studying the location of the signal.

“Hmm south by southeast.. near …Cambridge? Or whatever it maybe now” She searched the surrounding buildings and bodies making sure to pick up any and all tools she could . _Especially_ the screw drivers. She made her way back into what use to be her brothers suburban neighborhood and was stopped by that obnoxious bot her brother had purchased 210 years ago . She didn’t have time for this and used the bots Override code again , got some info out of it an sent him off scrubbing the interaction with her. First things first don’t leave a trail. 


	2. Making Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic head's out to follow the Remote access signal and come across her first "challenge" if you can call it that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK We are getting into Creation Club Territory If you don't care press on. If you don't to be spoiled for the Outcast Sentinel Armor DLC(?) skip this chapter and the next. 
> 
> I have so much CC Crap in game that I just couldn't live with out. The Sentinel Armor is one in game companion Vic always takes with her

Vic barley made it to the Red Rocket truck stop when her first problem arose, quite literally. Mole Rats, mutated ones but Mole rats none the less. Vic groaned, she didn’t want to waste any ammo on these creatures, and resigned to using the combat knife she had picked up.

She had killed about three when a dead one was tossed at her boots from her right side. She looked up and saw a stocky , sandy tan pitbull with floppy ears staring at her and wagging it’s tail. It let out a low bark and tilted its head at her.

“Thanks” she said as another mole rat popped out of the ground, the dog ran for it instantly, got a hold of it and whipped it around in the dogs mouth till the creature was dead and laid it at her feet again.

“Thanks buddy!” she said and the dog cocked his head to the side as if to say, _no that’s not right._

“Hmm I am mighty lucky -” the dog barked approval before she could finish. “Lucky huh?”

The pit wagged his tail.

“Alright Lucky. Lets go” She said heading into the fuel station, he sneezed his approval and followed along. She managed to find even more ammo though not all of it was for her pistol, a backpack (thankfully), a gas mask some chems and water. She stuffed everything into her back and adjusted it to fit her the way she liked. She scrounged around more hoping to to find something, anything other then that vault suit she was wearing. She stuck out like sore thumb. She managed to find a dirty white shirt that was a bit too big and a pair of jeans that fit decent but where too long, changed into that and stuffed the vault suite into her pack. She also came across some make shift armor. A metal chest piece and left leg. Not that her left leg necessarily needed protection but never knew right?

She did some tinkering on her pip-boy making a few upgrades to the equipment. Most importunately an audio frequency that allowed her to pacific near by bots and a short range e.m.p blast. It knocked the bit boy out for a second but it would giver her enough time to require any mechs that the frequency wasn’t strong enough for.

She and her new companion made it down the road with the comfortable quiet of their surroundings. Comfortable but not enough to that Vic doesn’t have her guard up. They came across an old dinner. One she and Vince used to come to all the time for breakfast. It had mediocre pancakes and egg and borderline sewage water coffee but they had loved the hell out of it. Coming down here when they first opened, just before the sun was rising. Enjoying the quiet of each other company.

She herd shouting as she drew near to it. Two people arguing but didn’t hear what was being said

“Whoa, whoa, easy there scavver. This doesn’t involve you” A guy on her right, whose been standing in the dirt says raising his gun to her, as does it companion next to him. Lucky snarls baring his teeth, but Vic plants her feet furrows her brows in anger and says in a low cold purr of a voice.

“You stop waving that gun in my face or its going to involve me” . The guy drops his gun from her and relaxes a bit.

“Okay, Okay. Just take it easy. We’ll lower our weapons, just don’t do anything crazy” She smirks and lets her voice turn into what she likes to call poisoned honey. Sweet but deadly.  
”Good, now hand over your money. All of it.” The guy groans but empties out his pockets and waives is companion to do the same.

“Just keep calm, alright” The guy says placing all their caps in her hand. “here that’s everything I have.”

“Now get the hell out of here. Both of you” She snarls.

“You gotta be kidding me *Signs* fine. We’ll leave. Just my goddamn luck.” He grumbles and the two head off.

Vic turns and heads into the Dinner.

“Thanks for your help with those two. Names Trudy, you looking for a trade?”

“Sure” Vic says. She’s never been one for pleasantries. After basically committing legal robbery, selling Trudy as much as she could tapping her of all her caps, she and Lucky got back on the road. They were about to entire Lexington when she felt the heat and heard the wiz of a leaser fly past her head. She ducked taking covered behind a large truck trailer not ideal but gave her time to get out her weapon. She heard, and felt, the large stomps of something heavy and hear a robotic voice say “Scanning”. She switched tactics. If this was a bot she wasn’t going to have to fire a shot. 

She switched over to her pipboy and ran the pacify frequency as she slowly sneaked around the trailer side.

“Clear” The robotic voice said and she came into view. Two power armor suites stood at rest looking down at her. She didn’t waist time plugging into the one nearest to her and over riding the controls to make herself owner. Then did the same to the second.

She inspected the area finding two dead soldiers in power armor. Looted their bodies for scraps and read the hollow tape journal form one of them. She shook her head looking at the two suite who greeted her as ma’am.

“They stole my work” she grumbled to herself after reading the Sentinel AI Project. She had to make a small detour.


	3. Malevolent Malfunction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic finds the Propane Station, and deals with that, then heads to the signals location

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapters a bit dull wont lie, it an abridged version of the C.C. Mission of the same name. I replied it on my Survivor level Vic run in game before witing it and died like 50 times so yea. 
> 
> Also one of her main weapons is the Legendary Rifle Lucky Manwell Crabine which again is CC Content that i'm not sure im going to write a chapter on that one or not. I'd dont think it should get more then a mention really. And the Violent Western Revolver a Legendary .44 revolver that Dropped in my game and does 25% damage and limb damage which again im not going to write a whole chapter about im just going to be like boom there it is.

Vic, Lucky, and the Sentinel’s we’re rerouted to a Propane Station that was west of her target, but sh_e _wanted to know. No. She _needed _to know how they got their hands on her Top Secret Power Armor A.I. program. Last she new that paper work was sitting on a desk or in file cabinet in Washington. While her prototypes were back in West Virginia, in her top secret underground work shop provided by the military. Secured with Encryption had personally wrote. It would have taken the worlds smartest person to get to her work. She was irritated, but proud of the two working machines that trailed behind her. If she had been more successful sooner..perhaps she could have saved more of their troops. _What did it matter now. Regret will get me nowhere. _

They arrived at the Propane Station with in a couple of hours with surprisingly little conflict. She watched from a nearby ridge, using the scope of a hunting rifle she had picked up along the way she could see the heavily armored Dawson, as she had learned form the holotapes she had picked up earlier, pacing around the inside. Though he walked around without a helmet, she did not trust she would be able to nail a head shot at this distance. She might be able to hit his fusion core but the odds of him stopping with his back turned to her with a visible clear shot were slim to none. She sighed with displeasure. Admitting she could not do something was her greatest annoyance. She looked over at the two suite of armor standing near by.

“Alpha, Beta” She called softly and they turned their helmets toward here. She sent them a new command wirelessly and said “Bring me Dawson’s head”.

* * *

She was very proud of her work now. The fight between Alpha, Beta and Dawson was over in less the 5 minutes and then his head was dropped at her feet.

“Thank you” she said out of habit really as she scaled down the hillside and inspected the station finding another AI Suit hooked up to the power suit station. She hooked up to the suite after finding its password in Dawson’s notes and was quite impressed with its specs. It had nearly double the defense and attack stats of the other two and that damage was actually attributed to the frame. Meaning she could switch the outer power armor any which way she liked it it would only add to the base amount. She looked at the other two when it came time to input the unites designation, she already had an Alpha and Beta and she honestly just couldn’t be bothered to rename them so she looked back at the unites current Designation. __Captain. __That made her smirk and she input __Cosmo. __Cosmo responded to its designation and all systems seemed go. She inspected the remaining area , found the usual ammo and scrap and a few holotapes that appeared to be logs she could go over them later and decided it was time to get back to her prime objective.

It took only about an hour and a half to retrace her steps and make it to her destination. She looked at the pipboy on her map, then around at her surrounding, repeating this step a few times before she accepted that the signal was coming from somewhere in what use to be the Commonwealth Institute for Technology. 

‘The fuck’ she said under her breath staring at the destroyed building her brows knit in confusion. “alright, might as well get to it.” she grumbled heading into the ruins looking at the structure to make sure it was still sound. She made a small base for herself in the College Admin building, behind the main College, on the third floor was a mostly intact room that had clear visuals out but also excellent concealment so long that she stayed down down low.

After making camp, she began to scrummage around the admin building for anything she could find. All the terminals she’s come across have been destroyed and the whole damn building had been stripped for parts save a few coffee cups, tools and books that had not been used as kindling. She took her search over to the main College Rotunda, entering carefully , crouched down to remain as undetected as she could with three unmanned power armor suits and a dog.

To no ones surprise the build was empty saves a thick layer of dust, but from time to time she swore she heard a deep voice or a high pitch voice saying hello? She chalked it up to ghosts of the dead and all that, and proceeded to find more nothing and decided to rest for the night and figure out what the fuck to do in the morning. 

There was no reverb in the signal suggesting it was being bounced off from this location which could be confused as the host location. There was nothing, just nothing. It was all just a big fat dead end and she was going to have to come up with something else.

She laid down in on her sleeping bag and set the Sentinels to patrol mode as Lucky snuggled up by her. She decided to look over the logs she found earlier, hoping to find out more about how anyone got a hold of her work. Though, she supposed, it wouldn’t be that hard for a higher ranking member of her team to have survived the bombs and took the prototypes out for bit and from there well.. Anarchy rules in the apocalypse right? The Logs were fruitless after all. The only new information she received was that Dawson was a dumb ass, and that he had been a member of an organization called the Brotherhood of Steel. She could only assume what type of organization they were, power armor and ranking systems, not to mention they had fresh printed dog tags, she assumed militant. She fingered at her own tags a moment pulling them free from her shirt and looking them over.

> _Durand,_
> 
> _Victoire A_
> 
> _United States Marine Corp_
> 
> _0830031507_
> 
> _O-_
> 
> _N/A_

_ _

The holotags from the in her hand seemed identical , other than listing her personal info on them, to the ones she took off the Brotherhood of Steel bodies. Another notable difference was on one side was a symbol she had not seen before. Presumably the Brotherhoods symbol. A sword with a gear behind it. She flipped hers around and saw the familiar eagle atop the world with the anchor at its back. She closed her eyes to rest but her mind wouldn’t shut off always calculating and assessing constants and variables, and any possible threat. She had settled on making her way out of the C.I.T ruins in the morning and attempting to contact any survivors or settlements that maybe left. The only other people she had seen on the road had besides Trudy and those outlaws , were caravans/ traders with their mutated pack animals they called Brahmin.

She had picked up a radio station on her pip-boy labeled _Diamond City Radio _and thought she might start there in the morning.


	4. The First of my Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic Discovered the Combat Zone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***TRIGGER WARNING*****
> 
> This chapter starts with a bit of abuse. If you are reading and find this story interesting but don't want to read the triggery bits skip to the asterik's avoid only the beginning italics

> _‘Wonderful, Miss. Vickie’ Clarissa said happily after reviewing her report card. _
> 
> _‘Clarissa!’ Her fathers voice was harsh as he scolded the Nanny. “You will address my daughter as Vic, Victoire, or Ma’am. NOT Vickie. Understood?”_
> 
> _“Yes, Mr. Durand” Clarissa said averting her eyes to the ground._
> 
> _“Vic, it is time for your lesson” Her fathers stated holding the door open to that room. She went as she was expected to. _
> 
> _“Victoire” her fathers voice was harsh “Do not let anyone degrade you any further then you already are.” She stood looking at the ground sadly. Her father grabbed her face roughly by the jaw and angled it up at him. His harsh silver gray eyes, the same she had, started down at her with anger. “Stand tall.” he commanded. “ You may have been born a weak girl, but I see the devil in your eyes.” he smirked as she stared up at him without fear “Defiant. Good” He released her face._   
  
_“ You are my only hope, you’re brother is such a disappointment. He’s too weak,” he tailed off turning his back to her a moment, “ But you.. You have strength in you yet.I must get the rest of that weakness out of you, or at least as much of it as I can” he whirled around around with a hard back hand to her face toppling her to the floor. “Get up” he demand “and don’t you dare cry. ” _
> 
> _She pushed herself back to her feet biting her inner cheek to stop herself from crying out. A growl rumbled in her chest to her throat. Her father smirked as she stood head held high a hard red outline on her small heart shaped face. _
> 
> _“Good,” he purred. “Don’t ever let anyone see you in pain. Pain is weakness, and you WILL be strong” _
> 
> _She bit her tongue, another growl coming to her throat. Her fathers cruel eyes glow, a malicious smirk on his face.._

_ _

** Vic awoke with a deep growl in her chest and Lucky lifted his head in concern from her stomach. She gave Lucky a reassuring pet as her eyes adjusted to the world around them. She rolled her neck straight to look at the ceiling with a hard crack. Sleeping on the floor wasn’t ideal but beggars and choosers right? As long as she was out of those childhood memories she was good. She had been planning on social interaction today right? That idea disgusted her and she opted for he more palatable recon/ exploration.

If her calculations were correct, __‘Diamond City’ __was originally Fenway Park which was just south of her current location. Southeast of her current position used to be Downtown. She hummed I thought mulling over if she should investigate an old theory her and a former colleague had debated often. While she had stood on the opinion that Downtown would not be ideal for shelter in the event of the end of the world as it would be overly crowded and people would be on top of each other.

On the other hand, Lt. Roscoe was under the impression that would be the exact reason why people would flock to the downtown area._ ‘Dense coverage form all side would be excellent protection’_

_‘In the event of total Anarchy, no. You would have enemies on all sides_’ __She had countered. Today was as good as any to find out who was correct. She got dressed, packed up, called the Sentinels to her

and after taking a few more readings of the signal and one last ditch look for any information on the former synthetic limb replacement program for her left leg. She did manage to find a few more clothing swaps that fit better in the old dormitories, a better fitting pair of skin tight jeans, an off white tank top and some __very __well preserved combat boots. Knee high Doc Martin Style. Then finally proceeded southeast of her current position.

To her utter dismay, it turned out that Lt. Roscoe had been correct, though in a way she was right as well. Creatures and people seemed to be at constant war with each other around every corner. She found it to be utterly mind boggling and a bit infuriating. She had manage to find a pristine set of X-02 Power armor that appeared to be called the Black Devil and outfitted Cosmo with it. After skirting around a particularly suspicious pond and taking out one more group of lawless people a kin to a gang, she found herself outside an old theater whose kiosk read **_Combat Zone._** Her curiosity got the better of her and she slunk inside. The parlor looked like any other old decrepitude building, with crap littered everywhere. She shot an eyebrow up at the two tied up people on display where the ticket booth once was.

Vic had the trio enter stand by mode and told Lucky to sit tight then entered the main theater. She took in her surroundings as she walked down the aisle. _Eight total? Three up top, and five down below. Two in the Chairs, one to the right, two on either side of the stage. One in the stands above me, one in the shack to my right and one in the shack my left. _Vic’s tactical analysis was interrupted by the announcer exclaiming . “And whose this? A new challenger?! What do you say, shall we put her in the cage?” whops and hollers went up from around the theater and Vic shot her silvery eyes down to the announcer. He fidgeted a bit uneasy under her gaze but coxed her down to himself on the stage. She wasn’t quite sure what the hell he was as she approached the stage, but one of the first rules of undercover work was to blend in so she didn’t give herself away. She ignored the curiosity and approached him nonchalantly.

“You want in or not?” He asked in a hushed voice stepping away from the mic.

“What’s in it for me?” She questioned with a silky voice.

“Heh, you’re gonna git in her nicely. I pay you a little something for each fight, The harder the fight the bigger the pay. ” Tommy said. Pay in this time’s currency was welcome. “Let’s see how well you do against my little bird there before we sign any contracts.” he said nodding toward the cage.

“Who would I be fighting?” She asked looked over at the woman in the cage whom had just finished a fight.

“Cait. She’s One of the best. When her heads in the game. She wont kill you if I ask her nicely.”

Vic had to suppress a grin at that. _I wouldn’t _she thought. She had racked up quite the body count in her day. Was she at 399 or 400 confirmed kills before the bombs dropped that was. She had really been aiming for that whole number.

“Isn’t that right Cait?” Tommy asked as Cait came to the edge of the cage looking out at them.  
”I wouldn’t be too sure of that” shes said with a smirk tying to sound intimidating as she looked over Vic’s smaller stature. Cait was about four inches taller than herself so it wasn’t as if she had much to gloat off of.

“Never mind her. She’ll do as shes told” Tommy waiving it off “So how about it? Crowed will love you for it.”

“What the exacted payout?” Vic said leveling her scowl at Tommy for a clear answer.  
”ergg.. 100 caps” He stammered out. She had to wonder what the hell caps were that he was referring to, she had found plenty of actual bottle caps on the bodies of the assholes she killed on the way down here, _but that couldn’t possibly be the new form of currency ..could it??_  
”150 and ill do it” She negotiated.

“Ugh jeez fine. No Guns, no armor, set your shit over there” Tommy said motioning to the corner of the stage.

“I got a better idea where to put my shit.” She said and called to Cosmo through her pip boy. Tommy and several others let out a gasp as the Sentinel made it’s way down to her and she handed it her gear.

“Cosmo, Stand by. Don’t let anyone take my stuff” She instructed heading up the stage to the cage  
”Affirmative.” The deep robotic voice responded standing off to the side.

“We have a fight Ladies and Gentlemen” Tommy called over the Mic with cheers of excitement ringing out.

“Go easy on her alright? No finishing flourishes” Tommy Scolded Cait.  
”Yeah, yeah. Quit showin’ off and get her up here already.” Cait said backing way form the cage door to the other side of the stage.

“Ladies and Gentlemen and the rest of you Ugly Lot. I present to you , CAIT and the New Blood”

Tommy announced excitedly jeering on the crowed.

“Listen you two, here’s the deal.” Tommy said aside to them alone “ I want blood, but no one dies”

“No promises” Vic said under her breath and Tommy counted them down from three. 

She studied Cait while keeping her arms up, guarding her face making sure to follow her every move. Cait looked like she was clearly on something and she looked over at Vic with confusion. A professional fighter should definitely know what a standard guard should look like…in her opinion.

Cait moved forward, sloppily throwing a right hook. Vic grabbed her wrist, pulled her toward herself and knocked the other woman square in the face with her elbow, knocking her head back hard before handing a hard kneed to her ribs flinging her forward again as she stumbled back, Vic released her arm backing up a bit. Cait looked up at her wild eyed, and pulled her arms up to an attempt at a guard , mirroring Vic. Cait came at her with a left hook this time that Vic blocked and then landed a quick left jab, connecting to Cait’s mouth. Cait’s head snapped back with a spout of blood as Vic landed a quick second left jab, then hit her with a couple body shots. Again Cait staggered back, whatever she was on was making her sloppy, Vic assumed. Cait was getting irritated not landing any hits, but Vic wasn’t a loser. In her frustration she attempted a piss poor charge, she was stumbling all over herself, but set Vic up nicely for a Guillotine Choke, one of her favorite finishes. Cait connected right into Vic’s kneed up into her stomach causing her to double over. Vic’s right arm came down around her neck and she secured her grip tightly in her other hand, pulling her own left arm close in a tight choke around the woman’s neck. Vic dropped into a roll onto her back, arm still tight around Cait’s neck and locked her legs round Cait’s waist, pinning her to the ground_.and now for the finisher._ Vic pushed her hips up and out, while her upper body pulled back and down. Cait flailed about unable to break the choke hold, panic setting in as it usually did when one’s mortality was threatened. _VIC! Let him go._ Her fathers voice flooded in_It’s just training_ she tightened her hold around Cait whose movement started to slow, the same as she had done to the instructor after her father had insisted she needed to hold out longer for a submission.

“HEY… HEY!! GIVE IT UP NEW BLOOD I SAID NO ONE DIES”. Vic realized Tommy’s voice was yelling at her snapping her from the memory as the crowd roared with mixed cheers and boos. She release and Cait gasped for air flopping to her back and coughing hard as Vic tossed her body a side and stood. Without missing a beat Tommy was back to the crowed

“What this? The New Blood bested our fair Cait?” Tommy called over the PA System.

“You should have just finished it” Cait choked from the floor at her.

“I know” Vic said coldly walking past her to the cage door. Tommy waived her and Cait into his office to the side of the stage

“You really put a show on there” Tommy said reclining into his chair. “You want to make this a regular thing?” He offered.

“Only if you’re going to pay me” She snipped.

“I knew I’d Like you. Here take this, there’s more where that came from.. if you keep fighting And Living of course.” Vic Couldn’t help but scoff looking over the.._bottle caps…hmh._

“Depends on if its worth it.” She said sarcastically back.

“I’ll make sure it is.” He said with a creepy wink

“As for you little bird, your getting sloppy. Too many chems in your system. I wonder….. “ he mumbled off and retrained his eyes on Vic. “You. Your Capable. What do you say to you taking Cait with when you leave next. She could use some fresh air.”

“She’s a big girl. She can make her own decisions” Vic said blankly and headed out of the office, not waiting to continue any dialogue with them, calling Cosmo over to herself and heading to the bar across from Tommy’s office for a drink.

The bartender had just finished pouring a shot of whisky when Cait slumped onto the stool next to her. Vic barely even gave her a passing glass before sipping her whisky down slowly.

“You savoring that for later?” Cait asked with a bit of an attitude as she eyed Vic and tossing a glance back to Cosmo.

”Mm well.. its be centuries since I had a drink” Vic said dryly and waved over the bartender for another. “What do you want?” Cait huffed hunching over deeper into the bar and turning away form her mumbling something.

“WHAT?” Vic asked loudly shooting her second shot quickly.

“I said I’m going with you.” Cait bite spinning her head back around. Vic set the shot glass down and parted with the caps for the drink and angled her self toward Cait leaning against the bar. Vic looked her thin frame up and down _definitely a junky _she determined after looking over her pale skin and hollowed face. “Mmm nah” Vic said pushing off the bar and heading for the doors Cosmo following.

“What do you me _nah?!_” Cait said with confusion jumping up and following her walking head of Cosmo’s slow thumbing steps.

“Exactly what it sounds like” she replied over her shoulder.

“What you think I can’t hold me own or somethin?” Cait protested with a huff, Vic spun on her stopping Cait in her tracks she bumped into Cosmo as it stopped behind her.

“I think your about four hits short of whatever your hooked on till you drop dead and I don’t want to deal with it.”

“Then leave me where I lie if I fall in fight but please…” There was desperation in her eyes “take me with you. I need out of this shite whole and Tommy cut me loose.” Vic stared at her for a while mulling it over. She didn’t need another companion with the three sentinels a dog and herself but she felt a pang of familiarity as she looked her over.

“Fine” Vic acquiesced but quickly held up an accusing finger at her“But if you slow me down At.ALL. I’m leaving you” 

“You got it boss lady” Cait agreed with a shot nod. Vic spun back for the doors and tossed them wide.“ How many more of these guys you got with you?” Cait asked eyeing Alpha and Beta as they entered the parlor

“Just these three and Lucky of course” she said bending down and giving the dog a pat.

“Three heavy’s and a dog. No wonder you didn’t need me trailing along. So… where are we heading?”

“Not sure” Vic admitted “Just scavenging so far. Know a good place to sell of some crap?” Vic asked not really caring the answer as she added some items to one of the packs she had attached to Alpha.

“Diamond city has better people but Goodneighbor's closer” Cait offered.

“Goodneighbor it is then”


	5. Mercenary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic and Cait make it to Goodneighbor and pick up new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of shit happens this chapter but it feels like a filler chapter at least in my opinion. a lot of these early chapters are just laying ground work which bugs me but then i think if there's no context this other shit wont make sense.

Vic and Cait stood at the front Gates of Goodneighbor with Lucky. She had set Cosmo, Alpha and Beta to stand by outside the gates. Clearly she should have just brought them in though as the first person they see is trying to shake her down for ‘Insurance’.

“You better back off. Or your the one whose going to need insurance” Vic purred but the guy let up.

“ Whoa, hey, alright, we’ll just say your insurance is paid up okay?”

“Whoa, whoa. Time out. Someone steps through the gates for the first time, they’re a guest. You lay off that extortion carp.” What appeared to be a ghouls in a red duster said coming up form an ally way.

“What do you care. She ain’t one of us.” The other defended

“No Love for your mayor, Finn? I said let her go.” the ghouls asked

“You’re soft Hancock. You keep letting outsides walk all over us. One day they’ll be a new mayor.” Finn said attempting to be menacing.  
”Come on man. This is me we’re talking about. Let me tell you something.” Hancock said coming closer and stabbed the guy repeatedly.

“Now why’d you have to go and say that huh? Breaking my heart over here. You alright sister?” Hancock asked.

“Yeah, thanks” Vic said walking over the corps, paying him no mind.

“Good now don’t let this incident taint your view of our little Community. Goodneighbor’s off the people, for the people, ya feel me? Everyone’s welcome” He said

“I feel ya” she said making her way to the shops.

She fetched a fair amount of caps between K-LE-O and Daisy, even upgraded a few pieced of armor, then headed down to bar known as the Third Rail. She was taken off guard, not that she showed it, when White Chapel Charlie offered her some under the table work.

“Now that you’re all Liquored up, got a proposition for ya. I need a dirty girl to do some dirty, dirty work. Blood on the pavement, bodies int he ground. Than kind of thing. Interested?” The Mr. Handy unit asked in a British accent.

“Maybe” She said eyeing the bot suspiciously. If there hadn’t been so many prying eyes she’d have just hacked it an pumped it for info and sent it on its marry way.

“I got a certain anonymous client whose paying top dollar for a clean up job. Three locations. Everyone inside, no witnesses. Only catch; it’s all in town. The old warehouses so I can’t use my regulars. Too noticeable. That’s where you come in. The jobs 200 caps. Payment _after _it’s done, and don’t worry. I’ll know when it is.” Charlie said  
”Three locations.. that’s a lot of time…a lot of bullets” She reminded smoothly

“well I guess we could sweeten the pot a bit. 250” Charlie replied

“Too Low. Barely covers the risks.” She said less characteristically then before

“Aright Dove. 300” Charlie began to grumble

“More. Money. Charlie” She said shortly..

“Given me a right kick in the Alberts. We’ll make it 400 but that’s as high as I’m going” Charlie said unhappily

“I’ll get it done.” she finally agreed.

“You better. Now go out there and bust some heads.” Charlie said shooing her away.

“We gonna get the big boys for this one?” Cait asked as the pair made their way to a couch across form the bar.  
”No. They draw too much attention.” She said twisting the cap off a bottle of whiskey taking a seat on Cait’s left and taking a quick swig. She looked at Cait, handing her the bottle then leaned back at the sign that read ‘__VIP’__. She wasn’t quite should what would count for VIP these days but saw the back of a guy in army fatigues and grew curious.

“Be right back” She said popping up and heading down the hallway. She slowed to listen to the conversation that was being had as she neared the end.

“- I’m just here to deliver a message” one for the men was saying to someone else in the room  
”In case you forgot I left the Gunner’s for good.” the person responded, _male_. _Young_. Green Cap, yellow jacket. __She noted.  
”Yeah. But your still taking jobs in the Commonwealth. That isn’t going to work for us”.Vic decided to make her presence known and walked into the back room head held high, and stood behind the two non military members as she surmised by how terribly kept their appearance was. _Completely out of regulation. This is a splinter faction._

“I don’t take orders form you…. not anymore. So why don’t you take your girlfriend and walk out of here while you still can” The younger man said sitting on the couch. _Defiant. Good._ She mentally chastised herself for thinking like her father.

“What!? Winlock, tell me we don’t have to listen to this shit…” The man on her right said whom was not wearing any proper form of armor/clothing and seemed to think a band across his chest was a shirt.  
”You don’t” Vic’s voice purred evenly form behind the guy who decided a band across his tits was armor. The two spun around quick giving her an unimpressed look from head to toe.

“This doesn’t concern you half pint.” The guy in the fatigues on her left said.

“You’re right it doesn’t” She said putting her arms on her hips and squaring up to them. “But..” She stated with a smack of her teeth. “You know I had a less then satisfactory fight at the combat zone earlier and I just really want to beat some ass in”

“You think you could take us?” the one on her left asked  
”No, I know it. You two pussies done sucking each other off yet?” She asked.

“Why I--” tit bands didn’t finish before she had kicked his balls into his throat toppling him to the ground with rough coughs then throwing a hard right into the other guys face knocking his head back with the crack of his nose breaking.

“FUCK” he shouted, his hands going to his face immediately

“The hell’s going on back here?” One of the ‘neighborhood watch’ guys asked coming into the room.

“These two guys assaulted me! I had to defend myself.” She said played innocent pretending to hug herself in fear looking between the two guys and giving her cleavage a little extra boost.

“Alright you two lets go!” The guard shouted and ushered them out.  
”What?” the guy in fatigues said nasally, bringing his head back forward. “You believe her?!” He looked at the guard incredulously, nose still in hands as he walked toward the door.

“Of course look at her. Bet you thought a small girl would be easy pickin’s” The guard accused “Get up moron” he said to band tits who was still rolling around on the floor. He struggled up and half crawled out the door. “I think her boots are steel toed” he wheezed.

“Impressive” the young guy they had been harassing after they all had left and she had dropped her ruse. She tossed him half a glance and was heading out the door when he stood and stammered out.

“D-do you need a hired gun…Maybe?”

“Maybe” she said curiously turning to look him over. “Who were those guys?”

“A couple of morons looking to climb the ladder of success by stepping on everyone else on the way up. Shouldn’t be surprised though, that’s how it fairs when you run with the gunners.” He said.

“Never heard of em” She said lazily

“They’re one of the biggest gangs in the Commonwealth. Got a rep for being crazy..you know.so tightly wound, you’d think they were a cult or something. Stuck with them for a while cause the money was good, but I never fit in. That’s why I made a clean break and started flying solo”  
”Extra baggage like that can get you killed.” she pointed out  
”Look I need the money, and I’m not about to let Winlock and Barnes scare a client away. You’ve nothing to worry about. Those two are weaker than a housefly, and about half as smart. What about you though? How do I know I won’t end up with a bullet in my back?”

“You don’t. So how bad do you need those caps?” She smirked and lifted her right brow. He signed

“Price is 250..up front and non-negotiable.” he said firmly.  
”Every things negotiable. 200” she returned quickly.

“Fine. Where to…boss” he said grabbing his stuff. She gave him a small smile and tossed her right arm down the hall.

“The bar.” she walked back down the hall and he fallowed. She plopped down next to Cait again he took a seat on a chair next to them.

“The fuck is this guy?” Cait protested.

“Hired help.” Vic said taking the bottle from her and another swig. “Shit Cait this is almost gone.” She grumbled looking back down an the bottle.

“He get’s paid and I don’t” Cait whined.  
”You begged to come with __me__ remember?” Vic pointed out and finished off the rest of the bottle.

“This is awkward. I’m MacCready by the way.” Cait grumbled and sat back into the couch crossing arms.

“Let’ go” Vic said standing “We got a job to do.”

* * *

They headed into the first warehouse quietly as they could. Vic told the others to hold position and snuck up on the first guy and slit his throat and shot the guy next to him int he head with her 10mm.

“They heard that” MacCready grumbled pulling his file up and aiming toward the stairs. While Vic disposed of a third who sprang up on her form a back corner. MacCready took out three that had come barreling down the stairs.

“Are you gonna leave any for me?” Cait complained. All their heads shot straight up to the floor above as they heard shuffling about. Vic looked back over to Cait. “Go right head darlin’” she said directing her toward the stairs. Cait looked between the two of them and headed toward the stairs squaring her shoulders and raising her shot gun.

Vic held her hand up to MacCready to hold and whispered “we’ll go up in a sec” she said as they listened to the sound of her shot gun going off a few times but both rushed up quickly when they heard Cait struggling. What appeared to the be the last guy had her pinned on a table choking her with her own gun. Vic pulled him off and stabbed him in the throat combat knife. “Do you feel better now?” Vic asked but Cait ignored her and spat her thanks. Cait was more of a team player for the other two warehouses.

“I’ve heard some exterminators cleared out the rats in the old warehouses. Wouldn’t know anything about that would you?” Charlie asked mischievously.

“Pest control is my specialty” Vic said .

“Always appreciate doing business with a professional.” Charlie said handing over the caps.

Vic made her way over to the table Cait and MacCready had seated themselves at. After a bit of math she handed them each 175 caps. “I know its not the epic payday you were hoping for but its what we got now”

“I’m not Complaining” MacCready said and headed toward the bar to spend his earnings. Cait eyed Vic suspiciously on the other hand.  
”And what’s in it for you?” She asked

“The pleasure of your company” Vic said sitting back into her chair in thought while Cait stared daggers into her. “It’s not like I cleared that place on my own” Vic reminded with a confused shrug as she looked back at Cait. “The fuck do you want me to say?”

“What your angle really is?” Cait accused.  
”oh my gawd, this grizzled I trust no one shtick is getting old. Your the one who wanted to come along. If you want to leave go ahead, but so long as your pulling your weight your getting your share. Understood?” Cait didn’t say anything just scooped the caps into her pack. Vic turned her attention back to the lounge singer as her thoughts ran rampant. _I need to establish an FOB and supply line. As well as steady supply of caps to fund anymore personnel, supplies or other while I try to figure out the signal. I wonder if trojan would be able to grant me access? Add terminal to supply list. _

A patron from the table next to them began to complain about filling ill from some canned meat they got from a guy in Salem.

“Don’t puke on me” Vic Scolded the guy whom seemed to be turning green.

“Here” He tossed her an unopened can. “It was good at first but now its not sitting so well. If you get up to Longneck Lukowski’s Cannery, tell Theo I said fuck you.” He said excusing himself.

“I swear that area’s nothing but bad news.” his companion said leaving with him.

“Welp” Vic said studying the can of meat as MacCready plopped down beside her with a beer. “whose ready for some good old fashion exploring?”

* * *

Five. Fucking .Hours. Five fucking hours of Cait bitching. Five fucking hours of walking. Five fucking hours killing anything that walking in their path, only because what was walking in their path wanted to kill them first it seemed. And there was a lot to kill. It was dark out by the time the neared the cannery and she just wanted to get the guts of what ever the hell was in her hair out and hit the sack. Not that there was necessarily a shower to be had at this time at this location.

As they came to the front entrance of the cannery Vic noticed a strange green light in the distance behind.

“MacCready” She called tiredly “ What the fuck is that?”. MacCready lifted his rifle and peered through the long scope.

“Ughhh..looks like..a lighthouse.” He said dropping his rifle and turning toward her. _Perhaps we would have more luck for shelter their for the evening._

“Time for a detour” She said and continued down the road.

“Oh god damn it” Cait grumbled as they continued on.

They discovered a weirdo cult hold up at the lighthouse that they made quick work of and discovered the green light was a Glowing One at the top of the lighthouse. _Kind of smart as a light replacement. Not that there are many ships on the sea these days. _She also came across a new furry companion the weird cult had tied up in the lighthouse. A beautiful Doberman Pinscher she decided to call King.Lucky has sniffed at him a bit and she was worried they’d get into a scuffle but both dogs seemed to be okay with each other.

“Let’s make camp here for the night” she said passing out some of her hoarded Rad Away stash.

“Thank fucking god” Cait said and just flopped down in a corner. Vic would probably never get use to the oddness of her fellow female companion. MacCready and herself took the time to set up their sleeping bags. She took the second floor and he stayed down stairs with Cait. The dogs followed her up Lucky sleeping on her right side, snugged under her arm and King around her head. Then she set the Sentinels to patrol the exterior of the building and it was lights out.

The next morning, Vic stood next to the lighthouse looking out over the sea and feeling the breeze on her face.

“ I like it.” She said turning to look at the half shambled house. “Place has good defenses, a decent place for crops, and a steady water supply. Just have to put in a water purifier and we should be good. Think this could be a nice home base what you guys think?” she asked her fellow companions.

“Whatever you want I suppose” Cait shrugged.

“This is a good place to set up shop.” MacCready agreed. “Needs a bit of work but nothing to hard to handle.” 

“Lets sweep the area for resources and meet back here in about three hours” Vic ordered and paired Cait with Beta and sent them southwest, MacCready with Alpha and sent him West. She herself went to the North with Cosmo and ordered King and Lucky to hold down the fort for now.

Her exploration took her up to the old Museum of Witchcraft. She tried the front but it seemed to be chained up from the other side. In trying to find a new way in she found the body of a Gunner outside and looted them quickly, playing the holotape she found on their body. The intel she gathered from this tape let her know they had been running from something and hid out inside. She found a cellar entrance and sent Cosmo in ahead of her then followed suit.

  
The pair came across bodies and body parts. Some even dropping in from the floor above from time to time and she could hear growling every so often. __Something big is in here.__ She looted what scrape she could find before proceeding up to the next floor quietly. Whatever the fuck that thing was she found up there was, she didn’t want to know. It had sandy tan scales and horns like a ram, with claws long and as sharp as a blade.

“Cosmo, open up” she commanded and the power armor suit opened with a hiss for her to hop inside. She did just in time as the creature noticed them and charged picking up the suite and tossing it like a doll. She hear several warnings go off in the suit but Cosmo recovered and took down the creature with mild difficulty. She stayed inside a few moments longer after it had died to make really sure it was dead before exiting.

Searching around the near by bodies she found a holotape and a perfectly preserved egg. According to the holotape, the creature was called a Deathclaw, and this unite had been hired to secure a few eggs for someone in Diamond City named Wellingham. __Nothing stopping us from getting that cash__. She reasoned and picked up the egg then headed out the main entrance after pulling off the hide and meat form the Deathclaw. Finally she, helped out a nut job to the north get his defenses back up then headed back to lighthouse.

The group met back up, dumped their scrap together and set up some minimal defenses and a water purified and she told them about the Deathclaw egg she intended to return to Diamond City.

“What about the Cannery?” MacCready asked

“We’ll hit that on the way back” She said and ordered Beta and Alpha to commence watch over their little home.

“Those guys don’t talk much” MacCready said

“Why would they?” Vic asked whistling for the dogs. She had managed to find some suitable armor for them.

“I don’t know. Guess I just wanted to know more about the people who are supposed to be watching my back” MacCready said sarcastically.

“They’re not people” Vic said securing the body armor to Lucky first.

“What?!” Cait and MacCready said in unison.

“They’re Power Armor suites guided by an Artificial Intelligence Operating System. Basically a Mr. Handy in a suit of power armor.” She informed adjusting Kings armor now. The pair looked up at Cosmo who looked back down at them.

“Sir?” it asked in a robotic voice that made both Cait and MacCready uneasy.

“All that time coming on to a robot. Useless” Cait mumbled under her breath.

“Lets move out” Vic said heading down the road. “We got a long walk ahead of us”

* * *

Vic all but burned that factory to the ground. _He was canning feral ghoul meat?! Egh it's people..  
_

“That’s the most disgusting thing I have ever had to deal with.” She said pushing down the vomit reflex as Theo tried to justify his actions. She put a bullet in his head easy enough and rewired the bots to serve them quickly, powering them down since she didn’t know what else to do with them.

“Those people did not deserve that” She thought of the settler in Goodneighbor who had told her about this place. “Fuck it” she said. “Lets scrap the hell out of this place an burn it down.” _that was just….wrong_..__They got quite a few loads of good salvage up to the lighthouse before sacking the place and headed back onward to Diamond city.

Vic was no entirely impressed with the slum that was Diamond City when they arrived the next day. Though she did give the survivors of the Great Wars props for selecting a well fortified position. _Do people not know what a broom is used for?_She wondered every time they passed a pile of debris that had clearly been sitting in that exact spot for 200+ years.

“God another bucket of bolts” She grumbled as they ascended the stairs to the Upper Stands, which was the ‘nice’ area of the colony, as Wellingham turned out to be another Mr. Handy unite with an attitude.

“I may have been programmed to serve, but in your case, I shall do so disdainfully. Let me know when your ready to order.” He reminded her of a snobbier version of that tin can nanny her brother bought before the war.

“You waiting on a delivery? Of Deathclaw eggs” She asked leaning against a large green pole.

“What are you…oh. The eggs. Ah, you must be with those….gunny people. Though your superior had implied there would be more of you but, no matter. The negotiated fee was 200 caps per egg. A generous amount indeed considering your…tardiness. Though our clientele do expect nothing short of the most pristine Deathclaw effs. Now do you have something for me?”

“What you’re offering is not enough. I risk life and several limbs to deliver this.” She reminded  
”Fine, fine. 300caps. Well above market value.” The bot replied brushing her off

“Come on. You can do better than that. You wouldn’t want your people thinking you’re cheap.” she implied silkily.

“Alright, 400. Whatever it take to get you on your way.” his pomposity grew.

“Lot of folks died bringing you this delivery. Their deaths really mean that little to you?” She pressed.  
”Oh very well. 500, but not a cap more. Now, the eggs.” He demanded  
”Here you go” She said waiving Cait to bring it over.

“What is this it? Where are the rest?!” Wellingham demanded.

“Feel free to go get more yourself next time” Vic said holding out her and for the caps.

“Very well. For a less than adequate job, but a job nonetheless. And the special request your superior made. Major Jefferies, was it. I trust you can get this to its destination. Don’t just go waiving it around willy - nilly” he plopped the sack of caps in her hand and handed her a paper. Vic Inspected the page as the bot excuse himself.

“It’s a recipe” she signed and stuffed it into her pant pocket. “I need a drink” she said turning to see the Colonial Tap house behind them.

“Trust me,” MacCready pipped up “We should head down stairs to the Dugout Inn for that.”  
”Lead the way” She said and followed him back down to the ground floor.

* * *

“Diamond City Radio--It’s terrible, yes?” Vadim, the bartender of the Dugout Inn asked in a thick Russian accent. “Make you want to cut own ears off?”  
”I don’t think I noticed” Vic said taking a shot of the moonshine and instantly regretting it. MacCready snickered to Cait quietly, trying to hid his face. She looked over at him with furrowed brows of irritation. __This is the best drink in town?__

“You listen to it”Vadim said turning on the radio on the bar top. “It grates on ears like sandpaper. This DJ, Travis, he is disaster. Something must be done and soon. We will have customers suiciding before long! We need new DJ for the Radio. I don’t think would notice if he…you know, disappeared” he whispered the last word,

“How much?” Vic asked without even a batted lash looking him square in the eye.

“That’s enough!” Yefim, the identical twin brother and runner of the hotel, spoke up. “Vadim isn’t serious. He doesn’t really want to kill Travis. He was just joking around a bit, right Vadim?”Vic shrugged a __whatever__ and ventured another shot hoping that its just took come getting use to and again was instantly disappointed. _Its like drinking lighter fluid out of a sewage tank_.__ She exhaled feeling the burn down her throat and make a look of disgust. Vadim gave a hearty laugh and said “It’s true. Only Jokes. Travis is good friend.”

“I’ve killed good friends before” she said eyeing the gray Bobrov bottle and picking away at the corner of the ‘label’. The twins shared and uneasy look then turned back to her. “Yafim and I worry about him.” Vadim said sincerely

“Poor Travis… He means well, but he does not have the confidence he needs for that job. Or anything else, really. And so hes always awkward. He does not believe in himself, you see? He expects he will fail at everything and so he does.” Yefim informed

“Has he tired reading ‘The Secret’?” she asked dryly, popping the cap off a beer and tossing a few caps Vadim’s way. _Gwinnette Pale ale tried and true._ She took a couple big gulps getting the taste of toilet swill out of her mouth.

“The what?” Yefim asked in confusion  
”It’s a book, forget it. Sounds like a lost cause.” She said waiving them off.  
”No. He is no lost cause. We can help Travis. I Keep telling Yefim this. I have plan. Go on spoilsport. Go back to working. We will figure out how to help Travis. Come you, meet me in back room. We discuss plan.” with that Yafim headed to the backroom. Vic looked over at MacCready and Cait sitting at the bar.

“Don’t drink there, he said. Dugout Inn is better, he said.” Vic grumbled at MacCready and followed Yafim. __J_ust once I’d like to walk in somewhere and not deal with someone else’s problem. _Cait followed behind her being a bit nosy.

“What do you want Vadim?” She snipped.  
”I am glad you are willing to help, unlike my deadbeat brother! Travis is good guy. He deserves better life.”  
”I’m not agreeing to shit, just waiting to hear your idea.” she corrected  
”Travis needs boost of confidence. You know what does that for him? Winning a bar fight. I’m sure you’ve been in one, yes?”  
”Haven’t met a man I couldn’t lay out” Vic replied.

“Funny, I could say the same thing.” Cait purred from behind her

“Excellent! Because you are going to help Travis win his first fight. I want to stage a fight here int he Dugout . Nothing too Serious, we make sure Travis wins and feels good about himself after. I want you to be there to help make it look real. What do you think? Sound good to you?” Vadim concluded  
”That sounds like an fucking disaster.” Vic signed shaking her head. “Could you just take him out and buy him a lap dance or two?”

“Now you sound like Yefim. Come on, this will work. I have ..contacts. People I can count on . Real tough looking, but they will take a dive for money. They confront Travis here at the Dugout. You step in and give him push he needs to stand up to them.Than you and Travis take them down, nothing gets too rough and Travis has something he can feel good about. Simple, right?” Vadim said a little took excitedly.

“If the goons are getting paid to fight, so am I.” She said smoothly.

“Alright fine, you get cut as well, 100 caps” He agreed with as shrug

“I thought Travis was your friend. Isn’t he worth more that that?” She purred, Cait was grinning like an idiot over her shoulder.  
”Do not think I miss your attempt to manipulate me. Fine, 200Caps” Vadim agreed again with annoyance,

“Come on. A guy who owns his own bar has got to have plenty of cash lying around” Vic aid it on thick this time.

“AAHh this is extortion! 300 Caps, no more. Now you will help?” he growled

“I guess” She said like she was board.

“Come back later after six and everything will be ready.” He excused himself back to the bar.

“Sure thing buddy” She said heading back to her companions.

* * *

She excused herself leaving MacCready and Cait in the bar while she ventured back to the Upper stands to see if they had anything better going on. Vic walked up to the Colonial Tap house tossing a glance back to Wellingham and pushed the door open with her shoulder and let he body weight follow lazily though. She was still standing in the doorway hand on the knob when she walked straight into a lover’s spat.

“Come on Darcy, lets go” a man in blue patch suit said with all the dominance he could muster.

“Take it easy. I don’t think she wants to leave just yet.” the bar keep said with nonchalant force.

“Hey, this is between me and my wife. Why don’t you mind your own damn business for once” the other guy said.

“Oh gawd, Paul. Why do you always have to make a scene” the blonde women, assumed wife, said snidely from the bar stool. “Poor me another drink Henry” the words were like satin out of her mouth as she spoke to the bar keep.

“Damn it, Darcy, I just want you to come home” the other man said. Vic felt a little bad for the poor bastard. He clearly felt emasculated having practically beg her.

“I’ll be home” she insisted freezing him out.

“I can’t believe you would do this to me Cooke” blue jacket guy, said.

“Do what to you Paul?” The bar keep asked a bit of an attitude in his voice.

“You smug bastard. You keep away from my wife, god damn it.” Paul’s voice cracked as the bar tender came around to face him.

“You better get out of here. Before you do something stupid.” The bar tender threatened.

“You son of bitch!” Paul exclaimed raising a fist.

“Don’t hurt him Henry!” Darcy called from the bar as Paul landed his shot. _Shouldn’t you have your husbands back? _Vic couldn’t help but think as she tossed a glance at the woman at the bar who shall we say was a bit less than mediocre in appearance. Henry recovered easily and hit poor Paul with an old fashion 1,2 knock out, splaying him on the floor.

“Go on, get out of here” Henry said turning his back on him.

“I’ll be at home Darcy .Taking care of out son” Paul whimpered and walked past her. She felt humiliated for the poor guy and let him pass smoothly as she could, pressing herself into the door. Henry turned back around to make sure Paul and left and then addressed her.

“Sorry you had to see that.” He began coming over to her and looking a bit more chummy then she was comfortable with, “things are usually a lot quieter around here. Perfect place to drink, if your buying. Right Darcy?”

“Shut up,” She grumbled at him and looked over at her.” You there I haven’t seen you before. Why don’t you make yourself useful and buy me a drink or something?” She tried to sound sultry. Vic shot daggers at the women, “ Why don’t you get your whore ass home to your son and make yourself useful or something?” She shot back.

“Why don’t you get lost so I can drink in peace” Darcy bit

“Lighten up Darcy, this isn’t your own private bar no matter what you might think, any way I got a bar to run. You ordering?” Henry asked looking over at her.

“Nah,” she sighed and headed back out the door. _I’d rather have Vadim’s prison style moonshine than deal with this_.__ She though walking back down to the Dugout. She had some gear to unload anyway might as well do it now. _Too much drama for one day._

She breathed a sigh of relief all too soon though when Paul form the bar caught her by surprise in the Market. “Hey, you there. I ugh…I got a question for ya.”  
”I don’t have time for whatever it is.” She tired to shut him down before he could say anything else.  
”I can make it worth your while.” he insisted and she didn’t turn away. “You were in the the taphouse before when…uh..”

“You got your ass kicked by your wife’s lover” she said directly, folding her arms cross her chest.

“Yeah pretty pathetic right? Guy’s sleeping with my wife, and I can’t even do anything about it. I’m going to go back and talk to him. And I want you to come with me. You saw, he wont take me seriously otherwise. I don’t want to have to really hurt him. I just want to him to leave Darcy alone. ” Paul Practically begged. She looked the man over and shook her head at him. _Pathetic indeed._

“I’ll do it alone” She insisted grabbing the caps he offered out of his hand. She begrudgingly climbed the stairs back up to the taphouse.

“Oh back are we.” Henry said playfully form the bar. “Finally got tired of the toilet water down stairs?” Vic placed a knuckle in between her eye socket and bridge of her nose and signed. She really didn’t want to do this but she needed any caps she could get…. She walked up to the bar, next to Darcy, placed both her hands on the counter hung her head for a moment taking a deep breath to steel herself then look up at the bar keep and saw him visibly unnerved, __a good start. __

Vic knew she was intimidating, yes she was ‘attractive’, but she was also war-torn. Her face though aesthetically pleasing to some carried a gnarled gash from the bridge of her noise down under her right eye then flicked back up to the corner of her piercing eyes. Her eyes were often described as “Soul stealing”, in the scary way not the loving way, and another old scar traced down her lips to her chin. She had intimidation factor on point.

“You’re Henry Cooke right?” She ask with her low cold voice.

“Yes,” he confirmed with suspicion

“You’re going to leave Mrs. Pembroke alone starting now.” she slid the cool threat across to him with out batting a lash.  
”Hey” Darcy started to protest but Vic shot up a hand with a single digit shushing her.

“Now wait just a goddamn minute” He protested, “Who do you think you are walking in to my bar and telling my what I’m going to do?” He said leaning over the bar. She exhaled with annoyance taking a pause to look back down at the bar then grabbed the back of his neck with her left hand and slammed his head into the bar, breaking his nose with a crack and splatter of blood.” He groaned in pain as she pulled his head off the bar by his hair and slammed it down again. While Darcy screamed in the back ground and told her to “Stop you brute” while the rest of the patron’s looked on in stunned silence.

“Alright, alright, alright” he said as she pulled his head back a third time. “Can’t we talk this out?”

“We could have, but you wanted to swing your dick around thinking I’d buckle. You take me serious now?” She asked twisting her grip in his hair a bit.

“Yes” he whined , she let go and he backed up. “Damn you’re strong for a broad.” he said holding his face. “Get the fuck out of here!” he yelled at everyone around. “Especially you” He said to Darcy. Whom attempted to protest but Vic shot her another look and the women left angrily.

“This whole thing with Darcy and me. Bad Idea, I admit it. Not like I planned it or anything. She was just always hanging around here, you know how it its. Look, tell Paul its over.I swear. I wont even let her in my bar anymore. Is that good enough for you.” Henry offered.  
”A promise to be good? __That’s __your offer?” Vic asked skeptically.

“You’re right. It wouldn’t be enough if I was in his shoes. I have an idea. Something I’ve been thinking about for awhile already. Kill two birds with one stone”

“This had better be good” She sighed.  
”Here’s the deal : I have some other, uh, business’ on the side. One of them is helping Nelson Latimer spend his dad’s money to make himself feel like a gangster. Me and Nelson are supposed to be meeting some gentlemen from Goodneighbor to exchange Nelson’s cash for their Chems. My plan is simple take the money and the chems.”  
”Why do you wan to screw these guys over all of a sudden?” she inquired.  
”Oh it isn’t all of a sudden. Nelson’s been complaining about my cut for a while now. He may be thinking about trying to strike out on his own. I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to present it self. And here it is”  
”Why smuggle chems into Diamond city? They aren’t illegal here” she pushed a bit confused.

“Sure but Mayor McDonough takes a big cut of all the chems brought into town. Not everybody thinks that’s good business. That’s where me and Nelson come in. He fronts that cash, I make the arrangements. Cheap chems for Diamond City. Everybody wins. You in or not” He asked and she contemplated for a moment.

“When?” she asked finally

“Two days. Back Street Apparel down by the river.”

“See you then.” She said and headed out of the Taphouse.

* * *

Vic had given herself a small tour of Diamond City before returning to the Dugout. She hadn’t been paying attention to the time but by the way Vadim shot daggers at her as she come down the hall to see the fall guy starting a situation with a nerdy guy in a red jacket she assumed she might be a little late.

“C-can’t you ….just…leave me alone” Travis ,she assumed, was stuttering out.

“Maybe I don’t like your little radio program. What’d you have to say about that?” the guy in a leather jacket said and Vic groaned as a second guy made third grader taunting sounds. _God these guys suck Vadim. At least try to make it seem believable._ Cait was eagerly standing by in the situation ready to jump in on her behalf if needed, whilest MacCready sat in a chair near by. 

“I’m just..I’m only here for a drink” Travis said quietly shrinking away form the situation.

“I don’t like you, and I don’t like your radio. What are you gonna do about it?” Leather jacket guy said  
”You tell him” the other goon said. Vic wanted to lay him out on principle alone for being such shitty actors. Travis was flustered and stammering “Wh--whats this about?”

“Aww, what’s wrong? Not so tough one you’re not on air” Vic couldn’t handle how cringy this was anymore and stepped up to Travis

“You need to grow a spine pal” She said shortly to him.

“I-I didn’t ask for this. I’m hist trying to …have a drink” he whimpered

“Doesn’t matter what you want or if you asked for this. Some guys just get off on hurting weaker people then themselves. So take a stand. Don’t chicken out here” She pushed.  
”I don’t think I could… do that…thing..that you’re describing..heh” He quivered back.

“Don’t be such a coward” She said getting flustered with him

“I’m not a coward!” He said with the weakest confidence she had ever seen.

“Then quite actin’ like such a loser” Cait chimed in.

“You could’ve fooled me” She heard MacCready say under his breath.

“ UGhh I got your back” Vic groaned not even trying to fake it anymore.

“Well, if you think that would work..” He caved

“Just shut up and go along with it.” Cait said a little too hastily. _These jackasses have been listening to our conversation the whole time and no one is catching on that is staged.?_ Travis turned to the guys,

“O…okay. That’s..well, That’s enough.” he stuttered out to them

“Oh, I’m sorry. You say something?” Jacket guy said

“I said…I said that’s enough! Leave me alone!” Travis replied with more force. The guy laughed

“Look at you. Lemme think about that for a second… Nah I don’t think so”

“I-I mean it! Leave me alone!” Travis stood his ground.  
”Sounds like you were thinking of saving ‘or else’. Were ya Travis? Were ya gonna say or else? I’m wondering what comes after that. What are you gonna do little man?”  
”I-I’ll ..I-I’ll beat you up!” Travis said shakily.

“Big mistake Travis. I’m going to destroy you and your friend here” the guy in the jacket said. Now Vic had been under the impression that their fake fight here was going to go by fake fight rules. Pulling your punches, aiming low and slow so the other person can easily block you, the usual. What she was not expecting was to be on the receiving end of hard left hook to the eye from the other dopey jack ass in the room with school boy taunts. Vic turned on him, eyes a fire with anger all pretense of a fake fight gone. _It’s on now. _Cait grabbed Travis by the collar and pulled him out of the fray having witnessed that look herself first hand and knowing where this was going.

“Nope, sorry buddy you ain’t ready for the big leagues yet” she said pulling him behind her.

Vic swept the guy ,whom had hit her, legs form under him laying him out on his back and turned to the other guy pulling him down eye to with her by the lapel.

“The fuck you think this is?” She hissed as him quietly “This is supposed to be a fixed fight.”  
”Fixed? I don’t know anything about a __fixed __fight lady” He said. _Vadim you shit_ She thought and pushed him back into the some seats. She looked back at Travis who had been barricaded behind Cait while MacCready sipped his drink form a chair shaking his head.. _Two to one? I’ve had worse odds. _

Jacket guy stood again and came at her throwing another left she grabbed his wrist with her right hand pulling his arm past her body and laying a few right hooks into him before bringing her right hand into the crook of his left elbow onto his bicep, pushing his arm up and around by his wrist and throwing him the ground again not letting go of her leverage. She kept pressure on his wrist, switching her grip to through is arm her forearm as he lay on his back and crouched beside him pushing her right knee into his face.

“AAhhh” He cried out in pain as she as she straightened her back leaning back a little and the room heard the pop of his wrist breaking. She pushed away from him and stood turning to the other guy whom apparently was as dumb as he looked for not jumping in sooner. He charged at her with a switchblade drawn, she block his attack getting control of his arm that had the weapon twisting his wrist around so that the blade faced himself and forced him to stab himself repeatedly till he lay lifeless on the floor.

“Bullshit man.. Just..Bullshit” The guy in the greaser jacket with the broken wrist said scrambling to his feet. “This is bullshit, man! This is not what I signed up for!” he said leaving the Inn.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Vadim snarled at her. “You were supposed to help Travis in fight, not murder people in my bar!” he whispered pulling her aside  
”You’re guy pulled a knife on me, not to mention you didn’t tell them it was a staged fight” she snarled back at him. Vadim coward away form that.

“It needed to be believable yes?” He tired to be slick but she wasn’t having that. She just stared at him. “I’ll add an extra hundred caps” he said sheepishly. “Ready of next part of fool proof plan?” he asked trying to move away from his end of this mess.  
”The last part wasn’t so fool proof” She reminded, addressing the body in the room.

“You are alive, Travis is alive.. Everything I fine and next part is simple. You have seen Scarlett yes? She has worked here for some time. Now I am just simple bartender but I see things. I see how Travis looks at her and that sometimes she looks at him. If someone who is not her employer suggests that she go spend time with Travis it might do him some good.” he offered

“Oh that’ll totally boost his confidence. You know, as long as it doesn’t back fire horribly” she replied sarcastically

“So little faith. It will work, trust me.” Vadim insisted  
”Like the bar fight worked?” he wavered her off.  
”Just do whatever it takes to get her to agree to see Travis, and this is all worth it. And you and I never talked about this alright?”

She groaned but headed out in search of the waitress anyway.

Vic was thoroughly done with all of this by the time she found Scarlett and didn’t even attempt to make small talk or ease into it.

“I know you have a crush on Travis just go see him!” the girl flushed taken aback by her brashness.

“He likes you. You like him, so go. Now” The waitress stared at her a bit longer then quietly excused herself to pay the DJ a visit. She went back to the bar collecting her measly 400 caps for all that bullshit and drank herself into a black out. Whens he awoke the next morning her head was pounding and she was full of regret__. _What kind of hang over aid do they have in the post apocalypse_. __She wondered.

All she found in the bar was a worried Yefim as she zombie shuffled from her room.

“Vic!” He called to her entirely too loudly for her head sake. “You’ve got to help me. The guys form last night. The ones that were messing with Travis. They came back , said Vadim owed them money. That they had a deal. He wouldn’t pay and they grabbed him and said they would make him pay..and then the just dragged him out. Please tell me you can do something.” He begged

“Why the fuck didn’t you do anything?” She snapped looking at him through tired eyes

“What was I supposed to do?” He said in a high pitched voice  
”Stop. Them.” She said coldly.

“Please, I’m begging you. He’s my only brother. I know he’s stupid, but he’s family. I can’t lose him” Yefim pleaded. That just about summed up her own brother didn’t it?

“Do you know where they took him?” She asked in defeat.

“No I don’t know. He’s the one who has always dealt with them. Talk to Travis maybe he knows were they took him.” Vic waived him off and shuffled back into the room to Cait on the floor and MacCready passed out on the couch.

“Up and at em guys. The bullshit never stops” She said kicking Cait’s boot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I timed it. It took my five in game hours to walk from Goodneighbor to Kingsport Light house.


	6. Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic and crew run odd jobs and grow closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not entirely proud of this chapter but here it is.

Cosmo, Vic, MacCready,Cait and two dogs left the Dugout In just as the sun was rising causing Vic to groan as she put on a pair of well preserved rae-ban sunglasses. She left her hair down because who the fuck going to complain about dress and appearance now anyway. Vic was the one to step up and pound on the Trailer door. She felt like she was pounding on her own head.

“Travis!” She shouted through the door and could hear her voice echoing as an eyebot slowly flew over “Travis!” She said pounding again and heard her voice echo in the background as the bot flew by and heard the DJ shuffling both in the trailer and over the air waves. He opened the door cautiously and she mouthed for him to play a fucking song already, which caused him to have a mild panic attack and put something on.

“W-what -What are you doing here?” He asked shakily

“Have you seen Vadim? He was grabbed at the Dugout, and Yefim thought you might know where those guys took him?” Vic said lulling her head back to look up at him.

“What?! That’s…. that’s not a funny joke at all” he said. Vic sighed hard.

“You think this is a joke?… It’s not. I’m Serious” there was a slight annoyance in her voice.

“ah haha…wait, what? Really?” his voice was high and squeaky

“If you wont help me, fine. I’ll find someone else who will.” She said hopping down from the trailer steps.  
”Wait.. really?” Travis said   
”Oh…oh man. Wow…this….This is because of what happened, isn’t it? It’s…it’s all my fault”  
”Yes, this is absolutely your fault, and it’s on your head of something happens to Vadim. So start talking” She snapped at him

“Oh man ! I Can’t believe this..” Travis said beginning to panic.  
”They’re probably carving him into little pieces right now” Cait said in too chipper of a voice.

“Yeah, you screw this one up good Travis” MacCready said.

“Look ..I don’t… I don’t really have a lot of friends”  
”You don’t say” Vic said dryly

“If Vadim is missing, or in trouble or whatever…Then I’m going to help get him back.”  
”You really think you’re capable of doing what needs to be done?” Vic asked looking up at him  
”You’re talking about…about killing people arn’t you.” Vic made a gesture with her hands that said _bingo _“If…if that’s what it takes… I heard enough to know they’re probably holed up at the old Beantown Brewery. We’ve gotta go in there, show them we mean business,”

“I mean __we__ mean business” Vic said tossing an arm behind to her cohorts

“and…and then we can bring Vadim back and everything will be okay…Right? I’ll…I’ll get a gun and I’ll meet you there. We’ll settle this”

“Fine, meet you there” Vic said “Let’s go.” she said directing them onward.

They arrived after an hours journey northwest of Diamond city. Vic told Travis to just keep clam and stay the hell behind her.

“We’re going to regret bringing him arn’t we?” MacCready asked rhetorically.

“He’s gonna piss his pants the moment the bullets start flying, can we all agree on that?” Cait said with a shake of her head.

Vic was pretty sure that was correct, because she didn’t see him till after she had the last guy , Bull being his name apparently, laid out and the floor in front of her as she put a bullet between his eyes.

She entered the far room Bull had come out of and saw Vadim on his knees tied up.. _Dear Penthouse_ she though as he looked up and showered her with his thanks.

“I didn’t know if anyone would come. I though perhaps this is the end” He said

“It still might be” She reminded with a silky voice lifting his head to her with her 10mm pistol. The color drained form his face and she smile form ear to ear. “You’re an idiot for dealing with these goons in the first place” She scolded dropping the pistol from his face and holstering it at her side.

“Fine. Was not smartest move ever. But all is better now” He tried to reassure as she leaned comfortably against the desk near by.

“Says who?” she asked her face returning to stone.

“Look these idiot had caps and chems just lying around.. They did not noticed when I filled my pockets. I’ll give you everything I took.” she raised a brown in consideration as Travis entered the room.

“Travis!” Vadim said excitedly and Vic begrudgingly untied him. “I am surprised to see you here!”

“I’m glad your safe” Travis said

“How did you get roped into this?” Vadim asked.

“I wasn’t forced or anything. I wanted to help” Travis informed.

“Ha ha! You are full of surprises my friend.” said Vadim.

“I hope you’ve learned something from this Travis” Vic said “Cause I’m real tired of your shitty whiny attitude.

“Yeah, yeah .. I know” Travis agreed hanging his head

“If you know then do something about it! Act like a man for god sake” MacCready said with an eye roll

“Yeah, you’re not cut out for this. Stick to your airwaves” Cait said.

“This is all just another day for me” Vic reminded with a board tone.

“I’m sure… not me though. Thinking about what I used to be so worried about now just seems…silly. Like was I really that worried about just being on the radio? That’s nothing compared to being beaten up, shot at…I can do so much more. And I need to.”  
”Whatever chump” Vic said leaving before he could get any deeper.

They returned lazily to diamond city,turning that hour walk into a two hour walk. Killing whatever came across their way, and playing fetch with the dogs.

Upon arrival back to the Dugout, they discovered their room had been comped for the immediate future and drink prices had been reduced by half, something they could all get on board with.

They had one day of dicking around before her side deal with Cooke happened. She decided to take just MacCready and the dogs with her for this deal, leaving Cait back at Diamond City with Cosmo.

“There’s always four of Marowski’s goons: Trish, who’s in charge, and then three other guys to unload the boat and wave their guns around” Cooke informed. “I’ll wait for the shooting to start, then join in form here. Remember we can’t afford to let anybody get away” Vic side eyed him and said   
”No, you first”. He agreed unhappily and she directed MacCready to take his place at the scaffolding above her. He complied heading up and getting into position. Vic had to commend Cooke on his level of betrayal when he strode right up to Nelson and told him he was done with their deal and took him out. The fire fight was over as quickly as it began with Cooke dying in the cross fire and ending with Trish, the ghoul leader with her hands in the air.

“You don’t have to kill me…I wont talk.. I swear!” Trish begged.

“If I had a fucking dollar for every-time I heard that” Vic said aiming her .44 at the ghouls head

“WAIT! I can tell you how to find Marowski’s chem lab! You can get his whole stash!” She pleaded once again and Vic didn’t fire.

“Tell me”

“Well…Okay…I’m trusting you , Right?” _Idiot_ Vic thought “ The lab is in the old Four Leaf Fish Packing Plant, on the water front of South Boston.”  
”And?”

“There’s a terminal that will open the door to the lab and I have the password. So… I have your promise, right? If I give you the password, you let me walk?” Trish asked pleading for her life.  
”Password” Vic Pressed

“The password is ‘Applejack’. There now you have everything and I’m completely screwed forever” Trish finished and began to walk off.

“Pleasure” Vic said then put a bullet in ghouls head.

“Remind me not to piss you off,” MacCready said after.

“You’ve been reminded” Vic said throwing him a sarcastic smile.

They packed up everything and returned to the city to sell off as much product as they could before taking the hour and half long hike out to the chem lab with the full party.

“What was the password again?” Vic asked to MacCready

“The hell if I know. Applesauce or something?” he said with a shrug looking over the railing on the cat walk they stood on.  
”Eh fuck it” Vic sighed and hacked the terminal easily enough. To their disappointment Trish was indeed a liar, they had procured _way _more from the deal then was at the lab but picked up everything they could carry on the way out before heading to Goodneighbor to tap their stores.

Vic even used extra upgrade her companions weapons, buy extra ammo and even equip some armor to Cait and still had left over.  
”Where the fuck else could we take this?” Vic asked her companions looking at the overstock she had in her backpack sitting on the wall cross from Daisy’s shop.

“Eghhh, we might try Bunker Hill” MacCready offered. “That’s more of a Caravan out post but they have vendors.”  
”Good as any other place” Vic shrugged before a carroty red headed woman with a side cut approached.

“You Vic?” She asked.

“The fuck are you?” Vic asked her in return. The Red Head scoffed and said “Fahrenheit. Hancock wants a word”

“Who?” Vic asked

“The Mayor of Goodneighbor” MacCready said

“There’s a Mayor to this shit hole?” Vic questioned looked around.

“You met him when we first walked in” Cait reminded and Vic squinted at her in thought.

“That shriveled up talking nutsack?” she asked.

“That’s the one” MacCready chuckled out.

“Alright” Vic said with a shrug puling her backpack on and following Fahrenheit into the state house up to the second floor where he sat comfortably on a red couch across from a coffee table littered with chems and booze.

“You the Merc who cleared out the warehouse’s?” his raspy voice looked up over at her, his mind not entirely present.

“You the anonymous client?” she replied.

“Hehe, yeah. I actually forgot about that one” he chuckled lightly and look back as her companions “MacCready huh.. that’s a hell of a gun to have at your back” Vic turned to look back at MacCready who smile smugly.

“Did you want me for something?” Vic asked

“Got some work for you, if you got the time.

“Always got time for paying work.” She said with a grin.

“Don’t do that it’s creepy” He said giving her a weird look. ”Bobbi No-Nose has been keeping secretes in my city. Usually I wouldn’t care but people keep going into her place shuffling about all quiet and conspicuous like and I’ve heard rumor she’s taking on employees who wont ask too many questions. I want you to be one of those hired helps and tell me what you see going on there.” he said laying out the plan while he appeared to be rolling a joint. Vic had to laugh internally._ All these chems and hes rolling a joint?_  
”How much?” She asked.  
”Tsh, 300 caps” He shrugged and lit the joint taking a long drag  
”That’s it? That’s not even a hundred caps a person” she replied

“Fine” he said looking over her small group “400, I’m not paying your dogs“

“How about four hundred for me, and one hundred per companion”  
”That’s 700 caps” he grumbled at her. She took a look behind her in confusion and realized he was refereeing to Cosmo.

“No not…ugh.. just 600 take it or leave it.”

“Uhhh fine. But it better be good.”  
”You’re the one asking me to spy on someone whose probably just the town gossip. It’ll be what it is” she said but paused a moment “You wouldn’t happen to need more chems…would you?”  
”Oh sweetheart I can always use more chems” he smiled up at her.

* * *

Vic had little to report back to Hancock at first ,other than Bobbi had been planning on hitting the Diamond City Storage room. To which the Mayor encourage her to follow through with the escapade because quote ‘ fuck that guy’. She had even pushed on when Bobbi wanted her leading the way through the under ground dig. And Vic __hated__ being underground. Call it claustrophobic or whatever you wanted she hated being somewhere that did not provide an immediate escape route.

But standing here now, in Hancock’s storehouse looking up at Fahrenheit with two heavy’s and Bobbi trying to justify her actions , Vic was pissed.

“Vic?”Fahrenheit’s smooth voice said her name as a question. Vic didn’t say a word just walked up behind Bobbi cocked her .44, placed it at the back of the ghoul’s head and pulled the trigger.

“I don’t like being lied to” She purred back up to Fahrenheit whom smiled in return.

“You made the right move . Hancock will be happy to hear about your loyalty. You should pay your respects in person.” Fahrenheit advised making her way out of the warehouse and Vic complied hiking the hour back to Goodneighbor and straight into his office.

“Well, If it ain’t Bobbi’s little patsy” the Ghoul purred playfully at her “Here,” he said handing her the agreed upon fee and then some. “For protecting my stash. Wise decision, putting Bobbi down like that.”  
”She got what she deserved” Vic spit “ I hate being lied to”

“ Yeah, that’s usually how the story goes around here. Keep producing results like that I’ll have to promote you to one of my personal entourage.”

“Sorry Mayor, I prefer to work freelance”  
”That so? Well I definitely have more _freelance_ work if your interested” He offered and a beautiful partnership was formed.

* * *

A few weeks past with Vic and crew fixing up the lighthouse to a descent little settlement. She had built a few knock off Mr.Handy’s to tend to a small garden. Then fixed the second story up to a properly enclosed house and subsequently that was her room now. She had reworked the plumbing and fixed the boat house up to a nice little house for Cait and MacCready. They got along well enough and Vic heavily suspected they were doing it, but what did she care.

She had worked on and off for when she could on cracking the signal after practically rebuilding a computer, thank you RobCo Sale & Service center.

Cait and MacCready were good to have at her back and once Cait got that chip of her shoulder she dare say she even enjoyed her company. Both of their company but she started feeling antsy. They were both getting too close. Cait more so especially and one night at the lighthouse after MacCready had gone to bed she dumps it on her that she killed her parents, not that Vic judged her, you gotta do what you gotta do and all but she just didn’t know how to respond.

“Sounds like Justice to me” Vic said,

“Was it justice or was it murder” Cait said with a quiver in her voice. Vic shifted in her seat 

“Jesus Cait are you seriously asking someone who kills people for money if what you did was murder??” She questioned running her hand through her hair but Cait ignored the comment

“When I close me eyes at night, all I can see if their faces twisted with fear. And then my mind starts wanderin’ and I start judgin’ myself…and it’s ripping me the fuck apart. You think I inject myself with that shite and drink myself drunk because I’m a ‘tough Irish girl?’ I do it so I can forget and move on with me miserable life.” Vic signed and looked around the room.  
”Look.. you… gotta do what you gotta do. I don’t judge you if that’s what your looking for. We all have our coping mechanisms I suppose”Vic fidgeted uncomfortably a moment and excused herself heading up the stairs. “I’m going to bed, don’t stay up to late we have a long trip to the City in the morning.

“What are yours ?”Cait asked when she got to the turn in the stairs.

“Killing people” Vic said then continued walking up whistling for the dogs who cheerfully followed her up.

The next morning MacCready was the one bringing up his baggage before they got on the road. Letting her know those two Jack offs she had seen him with when they met had been scaring off his client tell and was hoping to buy them out to get them to live him alone and that why he was hard off for caps.

“Just kill em” Vic said not really paying attention as she made some tea and coffee.

“If it where that simple, I would have done it already. Winlock and Barns have a small army of Gunners with them at all times” he said

“ It is that simple.” she grumbled and bobbed her head around in thought then turned to him. “I’ll just do it my fucking self then if you’re too afraid” _its been a long time since I did an clean up job. _

“mmm I got a funny feeling you actually care what happens to me.” he teased side eyeing her.

“Don’t be disgusting.” She said and he added the location to her pipboy.

* * *

They were all sufficiently grumpy after this walk. A small group of super mutants had attacked them on the road but luckily for them a suicider was with them and Vic was able to shoot the nuke in its hand killing the three mutants. But it still sent blood and guts flying all ..over…them… They were absolutely not ready for Malcolm Latimer to accost them as they entered the city flaying wild accusations that Vic had killed his son.

“Who the fuck are you?” Vic asked in confused feeling a drop of super mutant slim sliding down the side of her face. She batted it of quickly and it landed on the nice press pants of her accuser.

“Malcolm Latimer.” he growled out wiping his pants clean. “My son was Nelson Latimer.”  
”Who?” she asked again causing Malcolm to grow angrier. MacCready slipped up to her ear and whispered the reminder of the Cooke deal gone south.

“Oh.. I didn’t kill your son, Who ever told you that was lying” Vic said more as an inconvenience that she was even having this conversation. Malcolm signed looking her over and shook his head.

“You are an easy target for anyone trying to shift the blame off themselves.” He acknowledged. Lots of people liked to blame the deaths of others on her, the devil of diamond city, as they started calling her. Everyone knew if you wanted someone dead you came to her. If someone was already dead it was most likely because of her. Between her and the Institute, it was a miracle anyone still lived in this city at all. “If it wasn’t you, then who wast it? Do you know who killed Nelson?”

“I heard it was Marowski. Nelson was buying chems of him.” That was only half a lie right? Technically it was Henry Cooke… who was also dead, but it was because of Marowski’s deal right.

“I know he was. And now It makes sense why Marowski would try to blame you”

“I beg your fucking pardon?” Vic said lowly and MacCready and Cait couldn’t help but go oooooo in unison behind her like fucking children.

“That bastard needs to pay. And you can’t be too happy about him pinning this on you, right?”  
”Clearly” she mumbled

“I’ll pay you 400 caps to take care of him. We both win. What do you say?”  
”Throw in another 200 caps and I’ll take care of Marowski for you.” She compromised   
”600 Caps. You have an awfully high opinion of yourself” he scoffed at her

“And you sound like you have no idea who you’re talking to” she reminded

“This better be worth it” He grumbled walking off.

“I need a fucking shower” Vic huffed walking down to the dugout.

* * *

After a less then mediocre wash off, that at least got the guts off her, then she went down to the market selling off whatever she could. The sun hung lazily in the sky while she negotiated a price for a weapon mod with Arturo leaning against his counter. A young woman in a ratty pink skirt approached her cautiously clearing her throat to get Vic’s attention.

“Excuse me” she asked in a gentle voice. Vic turned to look at her with a raise brow but said nothing.  
“I heard you were the person to come to if I needed to find a missing person” she said in mousy voice  
”Me? No. I’m who you come to if you want someone dead."Vic corrected " For a missing person, you want that synth guy…Mike?” she questioned looking at her with squinted eyes  
”Nick” the woman corrected.  
“Oh so you now then.” Vic said and turned her attention back to Arturo.  
”That’s the problem… he’s missing” She informed..Vic signed dropping her head into her hand on the counter. “Where’d he go last?” she asked with a shrug.


	7. Blood on my hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic finds Nick then goes after Winlock and Barnes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter kind of got away from me . I started out with a clear intention of what I wanted and where i wanted it to go but it turned into this crap. 
> 
> Also Trigger warning on the whole chapter. I cannot pin point a section to jump to this time because this section has a lot of ...stuff..

“He disappeared working a case. Skinny Malone’s gang had kidnapped a young woman, and he tracked them down to their hideout in Park Street Station. There’s an old Vault down there they use as a base. I told Nick he was walking into a trap, be he just smiled and walked out the door like he always does.” Ellie said with a sad smile looking at the ground.  
”I’d love to help-” Vic started but Ellie held up her hand.

“I know what I’m getting into asking for your help.” she said cutting Vic off and produced a tin full of caps. “200 caps.Right?” Vic bit her bottom lip. _No, 400 would be opening bid _she thought but looking the woman over, whom clearly seemed hard on her luck so, “Yeah” was what she signed out instead taking the tin.

“Please just bring him back.. _ALIVE_”She stressed, Vic lazily looked up at her knowing full well her reputation typically called for the opposite.

“Alive” she agreed with a short nod and began to head back to the dugout. _Cait wont want to do it for 200 caps, MacCready will do it, begrudgingly. Guess I’ll just take Cosmo and the dogs._ She reasoned as she entered the Inn, walked down the hall and whistled for the dogs and Cosmo.

“Where we heading boss?” MacCready asked her form the couch with Cait.

“Solo mission. Try not to die from alcohol poisoning” She said flicking through her pipboy then heading back out.

* * *

The Hike out to the Park Street Station was short but the Super Mutant that popped out of the pond as she entered the Boston commons had her and the dogs scrambling through the door and down the escalators with elevated heart rate. The sound of their descent caused the goons who were around on this level to attack, which Vic wasn’t prepared for and she hated not being prepared. She shoved her self and the dogs into the corners near the main entrance into the station while Cosmo stood as a barricade in the door way while she gathered her barrings. Luckily, Cosmo took out all the triggermen, that she could tell and the group pressed on forward more alert this time.

Vic took point her rifle raised, stock in place against her shoulder as she slowly stepped to the corner and taking a quick peek around and seeing stairs. She had purchased an attachable scope for her Manwell Carbine, effectively turning it into one hell of a sniper rifle. A good idea for any solo mission she rationalized. Taking them out before they could get to her was always good practice. She lowered herself to one knee, turning around the corner and lining up the first shot at a guy lounging on subway bench not far off. _3..2..1_ she counted between heartbeats and pulled the trigger nailing her shot but alerting the others.

Cosmo didn’t hesitate to press forward down the stairs to engage the enemy and the dogs rushed down after him while she slowly moved down the stairs keeping close to the opposite wall. Using the banister as covering when need be, pulling up to pick off the further enemies who ran down a corridor toward them so the others could focus on the rest. They made their way down the opposite corridor once the triggermen were downed, falling back into the usual set up of Vic, Dogs, Cosmo. They made quick work of the rest of the men as they traveled down further into the subway then the vault. Not far into the Vault were two guys arguing facing the opposite direction. Vic switched to her 10mm, ran up between them and stabbed one in the throat while blowing the others brains out and pressing the group forward. She had to stop her self from laughing when the way forward was a drop down , almost two stories down, and she could hear the enemy skittering around down their like radroaches. This was an easy solve, she just pulled the pin on a frag grenade, dropped it down and waited.

After some careful manoeuvring down the drop, Cosmo first, they made their way into the Main Atrium of the Vault . She ordered the Dogs and Cosmo stay put wen she saw a goon standing at a window on the floor above back toward them. _Moron _she thought keeping her eyes on him as she took quiet steps toward the stairs only breaking eye contact to ascend to his level. Peering around the corner he seemed distracted by the idea of being in Skinny’s little black book, too distracted to see her sneak up to his side form behind and put a bullet in his head. Blood and gray matter splattered across the window and streamed down in streaks as her eyes adjusted through the glass to yellow synth eyes on the other side.

A wry smile took the synths lips and he said “heh…_you _huh…Well, we got about 3 minutes before those goons realize muscles for brains ain’t coming back” she hardly paid him any mind and opened the door easily enough then leaned up against door frame , letting her arms hand loose but lacing her fingers together.

“Gotta love the irony of the reverse damsel-in-distress scenario. Question is why did our” He paused looking her over a moment “…__heroin__ risk life and lime for an old private eye?”

“What, the clockwork dick is stumped? Take a guess.” she asked smirking.  
”It’s synth detective, jackass. If you’re going to be that way, you might as well get the model right. My guess is Caps.” He said coldly

“Bingo” she replied playfully.

“So..” he started lighting a cigarette. “Who wants me dead?”

“I’m sure plenty of people, but shockingly, that’s not my M.O. this time. Seems your secretary misses you” She said dully standing up right

“Ellie sent you?” He asked in confusion pupping his eyes to her  
”Yeap, now move it. She stressed the alive part and I am nothing if not a woman of my word” Vic said holding an arm out to her side to direct him out the door.

Nick couldn’t help but scoff as he passed her. _Woman of her word…sure._

For being smaller, she sure had no trouble keeping pace with him as they descended stairs and he heard her whistled for her furry companions and guy in power armor to follow.

“How do you want to handle this?” he asked in a hushed voice seeing three guys through the glass into the dinner area.

Vic walking into the dinner without hesitating , then made two clicking noises with her teeth and tongue and he dogs speed off taking town one guy each before they had chance to realize what was happening and Vic nailed the third guy between the eyes with her .44.

“Well, that’ll do it” he signed following her across the room and up to the next level.

“More stairs?? Who built this place a fitness instructor?” He griped as they ascended another stair case

“What do you care? You don’t get tired” She teased a few steps ahead.

“Who says?” he shot back as they crested the other side to another fire fight. Down a few more hall ways to a door that was locked.

“Skinny Malone and the rest of his boys are waiting for us, somewhere I’m sure. The names…ugh, ironic, but don’t let that fool you. He’s dangerous” he informed working the lock on the door  
”So am I” she purred back to him, checking her revolver.

“Got it,” he said once the lock slicked open “ but I hear big fat footsteps on the other side. Once we step through this door, get ready of anything.”  
”Always am” she said flicking her wrist and locking the ammo cylinder back into place.

“I bet” he said opening the door with a hiss.The two stepped through and were greeted buy a chubby guy in a suite with henchmen to mach and young women in a red dress who looked like she was trying to hard to be a tough broad.

“Nicky? What are you doing? Coming into my house. Shot up my guys. You have any idea how much this gonna set me back?” Skinny griped with his machine gun lowered.

“I wouldn’t be here f it weren’t for your two-timing dame, Skinny. You ought to tell her to write home more often.” Nick replied.

“Aww …poor little, Valentine. Ashamed you got beat up by a girl? I’ll just run back home to Daddy, shall I?” the girl said in trying to sound tougher then she was. Vic couldn’t help the scoff and angled her head slightly down, looking up at the girl through her lashed making her viably uneasy.

“Should have left it alone, Nicky. This ain’t the old neighborhood. In this Vault, I’m King of the castle, you hear me?”  
”Portly like a king at least” Vic said shifting her gray eyes to the fat mobster.

“I ain’t letting some private dick shut us down now that I finally got a good thing going’!” Skinny continued ignoring her comment.

‘I told you we should’ve just killed him, but then you had to get all sentimental! All that stupid crap bout the ‘old times’” the girl said sounding like she was throwing a tantrum.

“Darla, I’m handling this! Skinny Malone’s always got this under control” Skinny said turning toward his lady.

“Oh Yea?” Darla asked with attitude. “Then whats she doing here, huh? Valentine must have brought her in her to rub us all out” Darla turned toward Vic and visibly took a step back at the look the Petite woman was throwing their way.  
”Hm Darla…Listen up.” Vic purred over to them “You put a bullet in him” she pointed at Skinny. “and I might let you live”

“Wow…” Darla said and swallowed hard. “You’re…you’re a bad girl, ain’t ya?”  
Vic stood straight raising a brown and cocking her revolver. “Wanna try me?” she asked. Darla didn’t hesitate this time turning to skinny. “Sorry babe..” she said biting her lip and pulling her bat back . “But this is the end for us. And for you”

“You double crossing-” He barley got out before the bat cracked over his head. Vic leveled her revolver at the guy on Skinny’s left and nailed him between the eyes, while Nick took care of the one on Skinny’s right, though with a few more bullets.

“Good night sweet prince.” Nick said approaching Skinny’s body “Here’s to the old days”. Vic walked up to Darla and placed the barrel of her revolver at the young woman’s temple.

“Wait , what are you doing?” she asked in panic. “You said-”  
”I said _might_” Vic cut her off and pulled the trigger.

“The hell is wrong with you?” Nick chastised looking over at her. Vic’s brows knit in confusion looking up at the synth. “Forget it” he said almost instantly “I’ve known your reputation. I shouldn’t be surprised. This way to the service exit” he said walking down the tunnel shaking his head and grumbling to himself.

* * *

She had the dogs escort Nick back to the City with a sneeze of approval from Lucky but King Complained. Giving soft growls and protests that Nick found quite entertaining. Watching the _‘Devil of Diamond City’_ argue with a 100lbs Doberman like he was a cranky toddler almost drew out a chuckle for the old synth.

“Kiiing” She warned looking down at the dog sternly who yowled in return, turning his head to the side but keeping his eyes on her. “Go with Nick and Lucky” she ordered. The dog dropped his ears and whined but complied with head and tail hanging, while she and Cosmo pressed on to the Mass Pike inter change for that little clean up job MacCready had requested. It had been literally Centuries since she had done one of these but it should go about the same. Though she had the help of Cosmo this time around. Now all she needed was night fall and this should be handled well enough.

Currently she was a ways off using the scope to investigate the area. _Damn good location _she bemoaned internally._It’ll be impossible to get a good high ground vantage point._ _I’m going to have to figure out an infiltration tactic._ After careful study she determined her best course of action was to enter through the Northwest on ramp up to the majority of the Gunners while she sent Cosmo down low. So after the sun had been set for a good thirty minutes that’s exactly what she did.

She snuck deftly up the ramp to the first Gunner whom heard the commotion starting down below, went to the edge to look over and investigate while Vic slunk behind him then pushed him over, crouched behind what little cover she could find. Thankfully she always wore all black now days so seeing her in the dead of night was hard. She pressed on, quietly, keeping low to the ground and came across a clustering of beds…all full. Pulling out her Combat knife, she snuck up to each one slowly, slapping her hand over the occupants mouth and slicing their throat before they could alert the next.

Her heart almost fell out of her ass when she heard the hard steps of an Assaultron coming around the corner and had to act quick to flick on the pacify signal over her pipboy then hack the bot turning it into an ally before proceeding on. She had to do hardly anything once she got the Assaultron under control. Leaving her scraps to pick of here and there. The last two though, Winlock & Banes, AKA Band tits and broken nose, they were hers.

She powered down the Assaultron once she saw a familiar face. Then pulled out her combat knife and sprinted toward whomever was in the army fatigues in front of her. She pounced on him, knocking in him to the ground and saw a semi healed half crooked nose and broker it again with a quick left jab.

“Fuck” he cried out again, tears coming to his eyes, hands going to his face. “Who the fuck?” he stared but his flew wide with recognition.

“MacCready sends his regards” She whispered and dragged her combat knife slowly across his throat. Almost entranced, as she stared him in the eye while the wet guttural choking echoed off the sound of the concrete around them_.‘You must kill indiscriminately,’ _her father’s voice flooded her thoughts _‘dare I say you must learn to love it. Killing is your only purpose Victoire.’ His hands were like ice holding her by the back of her neck forcing her to look into the eyes_ ... __She was pulled back to reality by the sound of a bullet whizzing past her head.

She rolled to her right taking cover behind an old destroyed van.

“Barnes!” the man yelled form the other side of the over look. Vic hugged the other side of the van and slide down the length of it to the back and inspected the man whom had shot at her. Winlock, she assumed stood on the other side of the Van in full suite of Power Armor. _This might take a bit more finesse_ she thought, but she had made power armor, maintained, and repaired it. She was quite familiar with how it worked…and how to lock someone inside, then over load their core.

Winlock pressed forward, gun raising and called for Barnes again with no answer again. Vic used this opportunity to sneak up behind him and pulled his core straight out powering down the suit. With a few quick turns of the wheel she heard the suit enter emergency lock.

“What the fuck?” Winlock panted in panic as she flipped off his left arm piece and pulled the wiring out there, rendering his emergency release useless. “Who the fuck are you?” He snarled unable to move.

“A friend of MacCready’s” she said over charging the fusion core and sliding it back home in the suit while it entered melt down phase. “Have fun with your girlfriend in hell.” she said giving a final slap to his helmet and running up the second level and as far as she could before the core erupted. Winlock went out with a blaze of high pitch screams and cries.

Vic dropped to her knees, now the adrenaline was wearing off and she could feel how much energy she had expended, how tired she was, and not just physically. She took deep steadying breaths then rolled to her back and looked up at the sky. She looked up in wonder at the stars, how bright they truly where and color of the milky way. Never has she seen it before. There was far too much light pollution before the war to see anything in the night sky.

“Is this all I’ll ever be?” she whispered into the night sky as moisture pulled into her eyes and one even dared slipped down into her hair before she took a deep steadying breath and pushed everything else way. _‘Remember , always, Victoire. The world doesn’t care about you. You mustn't care about it, or it will kill you. The military will have good enough use for you yet.’ _Vic swallowed hard and forced herself to sit up. She had one last matter of business to attend to in Goodneighbor before heading back MacCready and Cait. But perhaps she should rest here for the night. It was as good of place as any.

Vic awoke to loud clap of thunder, her eyes shooting wide as rain started dropping on her slowly. She sat up feeling the stiffness in her back from sleeping on the hard concrete of the freeway. Rigidly, she walked down below to the lower level of the overpass, looted the place and bodies before she completely destroyed it. It was a damn good vantage point, safe provided you don’t mind heights and exactly why she had to get rid of it before more assholes showed up to claim it. The least she could do was make it harder for them.

She and Cosmo had a nice long walk back to the city but once they got there…standing out side the former stadium, she didn’t want to be there. She didn’t want to be anywhere honestly…. but she wanted her dogs. She stared a the gates in contemplation then shook her head and headed in, if only for the dogs.

* * *

Nick sat at his desk filling in notes for a case, or at least he was trying to. He sat there, pencil to paper, semi hunched over the desk, staring over it at the two dogs sitting sentry by his door. Lucky and King, had accompanied him all the way back to the city as they were instructed to do and he was grateful for it. Those animals where for too smart for their own good but he was thankful they were protecting him the walk back. The idea of being on the other end of their bite…

“You can leave , you know” he grumbled over desk at the dogs who paid him no mind, in fact King’s response was to yawn at him then sniff around the ground before not finding anything and sat back upright. “She told you to escort me back to the city. I’ve been escorted…leave” he huffed dropping his his pencil and sitting back into his seat looking between the two unsure what to do to make them leave. “What the hell do you guys eat anyway?” he wonder allowed with apprehension _I’m hesitant to think what that scavver feeds these things._ He cringed a bit swearing he heard one of their stomachs growled.

The door opened letting the outside light flooded in an the small silhouette of a woman came in.

“There you are” Vic’s smooth voice said as she knelt down beside the fierce Doberman whom jumped on her happily, like a puppy.

“Of course there here” Nick scolded “I tried to get them to leave but they only seem to listen to you.”

She grinned over at synth, turning to pet Lucky whom whined from lack of attention. __They’re still just dogs I guess__ he reasoned by the strange temperament they showed her. She stood and gave a short whistle turning the dogs from harmless pets back into the attack dogs that they really were.

“Where have you been?” He asked getting back to his case notes.

“The usual” she said looking over at him “Murder and mayhem at a discount” she grinned to herself mostly thinking of K-LE-O.

“A discount? I’d hate to know what full price murder goes for these day.” he said shaking his head  
”Bidding typically starts at 400 caps, but exceptions are made from time to time.”  
”Of course, if only a slick mouth solved problems” he looked up at her unimpressed.  
”There’d be peace in the middle east, who am I kidding there is no middle east anymore” she shot back quickly.

“Good to know you’re a merc with a mouth”

“At your service, Monday through Friday. Five to Ten pm. Don’t forget to tips your waiters and waitresses” that one gave him a chuckle and he slapped the folder closed sitting back into his chair again. __What a card __he couldn't help but think. She seemed like your average Joe, but with a propensity for getting herself into trouble and a bit too cleaver for her own good with the way her mouth ran off.

“You’re not what I was expecting. Given your reputation.”  
”Happy to disappoint” she said a bit more colder now.

“Oh don’t let me sour the mood now. You’ve got a reputation for being a cold blooded killer, not a wise ass.”  
”I am a cold blooded killer” she reminded bringing his thoughts back to Darla.

“But why?” he couldn’t help to ask.

“We are what we are” she said opening the door with an expression he was not expecting at all. Was hit sadness?

“What do you feed these things away?” he asked before she left.

“My enemies…usually,” she said with a smirk and passed through the door.

“That’s what I was afraid of” he whispered into the emptiness after they had left.

* * *

_ _

_ _

Vic made her way into Goodneighbor late that night after taking a few matches at the Combat Zone to help clear her thoughts, after getting a hair cut on the way out of the City. _Truest sign of a mental break down in a women right?_ She though after shaving 80% of her hair off her head and shopping the rest to the nap of her neck. She learned her hair carried a little waive to it not also that the weight was gone. She left a message at the Dugout for Cait and MacCready to meet her in Goodneighbor after discovering they had taken a side job while she was out. Fine with her honestly, it was good for them to get out and do their own thing.

She sure looked like hell now as she limped back to the hotel Rexford. Someone in the combat zone thought it would a good fight to see her go up against a Super Mutant, both sides bare knuckled. Needless to say she won but not before getting fat black eye and thoroughly exhausting herself. Thankfully though all had bet against her accept herself, so a nice solid winning of 2000 caps was awarded and that made it worth while as least.

She parted with the measly 10 caps and crawled up stairs to her room. She made a mental note of Stan, Marowski’s body guard, telling a worker to try and keep it down since his boss was laying down feeling under the weather. Vic saw this as her opportunity to take out Marowski quietly. Deftly, she picked the lock to his door once she had reached the third floor and confirmed no one was around then slipped into his room shutting the door softly behind her. With soft steps she approached his bed and gently sat on the edge pulling out her combat know. She watched him curiously for a few moments before reaching over and covering his mouth then slitting his throat. He flailed about with muffled wet groans while she forced herself to look at the wall till it was over.

When he finally stropped struggling she turned him onto his side facing the wall and quickly left the room again, re-locking the door and made her way back to her room where the dogs and Cosmo waited for her, then flopped into bed and hoped for a dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vic's official in game load out had turned into Ultimatum from Tunnel Snakes Rule CC, Violent Western Revolver and The Problem Solver form Nuka World but since she hadn't gotten there yet she currently had Ultimatum, Revolver, and Manwell Carbine rifle.
> 
> SO! there is thie BEAUTIFUL picture of Jack from Mass Effect (AKA Subject Zero) [Here](https://kauriart.tumblr.com/post/188134863725/subject-zero-jack-biotic-superhero-convict) and every time i see it im like..YASS THIS IS VIC!! so enjoy this picture

**Author's Note:**

> Also Here are Vic's In Game stats  
cause fuck it
> 
> [ Vic stats: 10 S 5P 9E 10C 10I 8A 6L  
Perks:  
S: 5 Iron Fist, 5 Strong back, 4 Basher, 3 rooted.  
P: 5 Rifleman, 2 Awareness, 4 Locksmith, 2 Demolition expert, 4 pickpocket  
E: 5 Toughness, 3 Adamantium Skeleton  
C: 3 Cap Collector, 3 Black widow, 3 Intimidate, 3 Inspiration  
I: 4 medic, 4 Gun nut,4 hacker, 3 scrapper, 4 science,4 chemist, 3 Robotics expert, 3 Nuclear Physicist,  
A: 5 Gunslinger, 5 Commando, 3 Sneak, 2 Mister Sandman, 3 Action girl, 3 Quick Hand  
L : 4 Fortune Finder, 4 Scrounger, 4 bloody mess, 3 Better Criticals


End file.
